B.C. lawyer facing two child porn charges

David Andrew Riddell, 47, has been charged with making child pornography on Aug. 17, 2016, according to an information document filed in Port Coquitlam.

He’s also charged with possessing child pornography on Jan. 17, 2017, indicates the same document.

The charges were filed July 4 and Riddell is scheduled to appear in Port Coquitlam provincial court on July 24 to fix a date for a trial, according to Court Services Online.

Riddell had an office in Maple Ridge and a sub-office in Pitt Meadows.

According to the Law Society of B.C., Riddell has stopped practising law.

“He has agreed to a voluntarily undertaking to cease the practice of law, pending the outcome of these matters,” said David Jordan, of the law society.

There is also a restriction by the society saying that Riddell can’t practise.

Any time a lawyer faces charges, the law society conducts its own investigation, he added.

“It’s a separate investigation from the criminal investigation. We’re looking into his professional conduct as opposed to whether or not he’s broken any laws, whether he’s broken any law society rules regarding delivery of service to the public,” Jordan said.

“That’s our standard practice, so yes, there is an investigation file open,” to determine if there’s been any impact on delivery of legal services, Jordan said.

Riddell has been registered with the society since 2003 and has no other disciplinary history.

Laurence Anderson, with Vernon and Thompson Law Group, said Riddell is no longer with the firm, as of July 9.

“Mr. Riddell has resigned from Vernon Thompson Law Group and is no longer practising law at this time.”